By Chidi Nkwopara

The medical establishment that is known today, as Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Owerri, has a long and checkered history, dating back more than 100 years.

This hospital was first established as a colonial dispensary in 1903. It was later upgraded to a District Hospital, then a General Hospital, before wearing the FMC toga in 1995.

What is, however, not lost on both the government, staff, and patients is that the infrastructural growth of the hospital has since outstripped the clientele of the medical outfit.

Speaking after taking delivery of equipment and supplies worth over N290 million, donated by Coca Cola Nigeria Limited, the FMC Medical Director, MD, Dr. Achigbu Ihedioha, said that statistics shows that “mortality rate in Nigeria, stands at 576 per 100,000 live birth, Neonatal mortality rate of 37 per 1,000 live births and Under-5 mortality of 128 per 1,000.”

The MD also lamented that “Nigeria is estimated to account for one in every four, of African mortalities and about eight of every 10 of these deaths, are said to be preventable”.

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Continuing, Dr. Ihedioha disclosed that “FMC Owerri arguably, has one of the highest patient turnout countrywide, as well as one of the highest delivery rates of nearly 4,000 per year”.

He recalled that “the journey to the labour ward is usually one of trepidation and uncertainty for many women of child bearing age and their families, in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa and ends either in joy with the successful delivery of a healthy baby by a live and well mother, or sorrow and agony when the outcome is poor.”

Expounding reasons why the management of Coca Cola Nigeria Limited, in collaboration with Medshare International and the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, took its Safe Birth Initiative, SBI, to FMC Owerri, the company’s Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Mrs. Nwamaka Onyemelukwe said:

“This initiative was created to strengthen the capacity of selected tertiary reference institutions across the country, through the procurement of vital maternal and neonatal medical equipment/supplies, training biomedical engineering/technicians, to improve equipment maintenance and repairs of abandoned medicalcal equipment.

She recalled with grief that each year, thousands of women and newborn babies, die from preventable causes as a result of lack of access to or poor healthcare services.

“The issue of maternal mortality is very important to us because it affects the wellbeing of women. Globally, Coca Cola has a commitment to women, whom we consider pillars of society and also pillars of our business in Africa, where they have always played a dominant role in our vast distribution and retail network”, Onyemelukwe said.

She further explained that through the SBI, the Company wants to support what she called “the untiring efforts of our hard working doctors, midwifes and nurses, who battle against great odds in our public hospitals, to manage life-threatening complications affecting mothers and the newborn.”

In a message delivered by the Head, Clinical Services, FMC Umuahia, Dr. Ugochukwu Onyeonoro, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, expressed happiness about the initiative championed by Coca Cola and Medshare International, stressing that “their contributions will certainly help in reducing mother and child mortality rate in Nigeria.”

South East gathered that the installation and unveiling at the FMC Owerri, makes it the fourth beneficiary hospital to receive medical equipment under the SBI initiative.

It was also gathered that a total of 15 major public hospitals recommended by the Federal Ministry of Health, will receive hospital equipment, kits and supplies conservatively put at about $10.8 million.

Vanguard News Nigeria.